13 Best Things to do in Nusa Dua (Travel Guide)

After 3 times visiting Bali, this post is about our first time visiting Nusa Dua in Bali. After all, visitors to Bali usually go to Kuta, Canggu, Ubud, and Seminyak. Before going to Nusa Dua, we honestly didn’t know what to expect or what to do. We’ve come to find that this is the quietest destination in Bali. The beaches are very peaceful and the water is so clear, with stretches of white sand all around us. Nusa Dua is surrounded by luxury resorts and plenty of nice areas for swimming and snorkeling.

In this article, we will share our Nusa Dua travel guide with you and our favorite things to do in Nusa Dua, where to sleep in Nusa Dua, how to get to Nusa Dua.

Nusa Dua Travel Guide

How to get to Nusa Dua

Nusa Dua is located 20 kilometers from Denpasar. If you are coming from the Ngurah Rai International Airport , it will take you 30-40 minutes to reach Nusa Dua. You can get a taxi from the airport, though they can be a bit expensive. We recommend you use Grab, Uber or Go Jek to move around Bali instead. You can even rent your own scooter if you are traveling light!

Best time to visit Nusa Dua

When visiting Nusa Dua, there’s no need to worry about erratic weather patterns and the hassle that comes with them. The peninsula is a year round destination and can be enjoyed even during the low season. The best time to visit Nusa Dua is on April to October. The Nusa Dua Peninsula is warmest at this time and is perfect for outdoor adventures and water activities. The most hectic time in the peninsula are on July and August. Make sure to remember those months so you can plan ahead.

November to March is Nusa Dua’s wet season so the beaches may not be at their best. Still, it’s worth the trip since Nusa Dua is still beautiful during this time, especially since you get the beach to yourself as you won’t find many tourists in those months.

Daily budget to visit Nusa Dua

Though Nusa Dua is known for its luxurious accommodations, there are still ways to save money on food, lodging, transportation and entertainment in the area. Most of the time, accommodations come with free breakfast, so take advantage of that as much as you can. There are also plenty of reasonably priced meals in Nusa Dua at around $5-10 USD in local restaurants.

For a luxurious room, be prepared to spend $100 USD. You can spend $35-80 USD on a mid-budget accommodation while the cheapest hotels go for around $19 USD. There are also home stays and inns that cost as cheap as $10-14 USD. If you choose Airbnb there are deals for $20-30 USD per night, check this link to get $30 USD free credits with your next booking!

Most hotels have shuttle service to and from Bali Collection, the biggest mall in Nusa Dua and a great place to eat and shop.

Transportation around Nusa Dua

Public vehicles are quite scarce in Nusa Dua. Fortunately, there’s still the option of using Uber or Grab, though the service is not as reliable compared to major cities. However, as it is a scenic island destination, you can always rent a motorbike to go around Nusa Dua. This can be availed for less than $5-6 USD.

Things To Do in Nusa Dua

1. Visit Geger Beach

Geger Beach is a public beach in Nusa Dua with an entrance fee of around 4k IND Rupiahs. Most of the other beaches in Nusa Dua are privately owned from the luxury resorts.

Here, there are cafes and restaurants to hang out in if you decide to spend the day in the area. There is a nice spot for snorkeling in Nusa Dua and swimming, as well. The water is so calm and the beach is very quiet!

2. Try Babi Guling (Balinese Lechon)

Babi Guling is a Balinese-style roast pork comparable to Lechon in the Philippines. This suddenly became Rachel’s favorite food while we were visitng Nusa Dua. It’s actually a very popular dish in Bali and we enjoyed eating it with vegetables and different sauces. We had it a couple of times and eating it was the best thing to do in Nusa Dua at night for us.

3. Shoppping in Nusa Dua: Bali Collection

If you like shopping and you are staying at Nusa Dua, you can go to Bali Collection. All the hotels have a free shuttle going to the mall for a day of shopping in Nusa Dua. The place seems really quiet and and has a chill vibe that’s perfect for some serious shopping. There are also a few restaurants if you want to take a break from your spree.

4. Dinner in the Cave

We had a romantic experience at Samabe Bali Suites & Villas having dinner in a cave just next to the beach. What a lovely way to spend an intimate evening together dining in a beach cave! Good conversation, amazing food, and a unique ambiance – What more could we ask for? The food and cocktails were delicious, the service was great with the very accommodating Indonesian staff, and we loved the decor of candles all over the cave. It is an awesome, romantic thing to do in Nusa Dua that we highly recommend for all the lovers out there!

5. Balinese Massage

You can’t come to Bali and not have a massage, that´s what Rachel said, ha! We just had a few of them and our favorite was the one we had at Grand Hyatt Bali. The spa was really beautiful, and we loved the tea they served with the massage. The massage itself lasted an hour and it was one of our favorite moments in this trip to Bali.

More Things to do in Nusa Dua

6. Snorkeling in Nusa Dua

You can just rent the necessary gear and you’re good to go for a day of snorkeling in Nusa Dua. You can enjoy this activity by yourself as the water is so clear and blue. You’d love seeing all the fishes and the beautiful reefs. It might take a little walk to reach the snorkeling site depending on the time of day, but it is so worth it! We loved the vibe of the place, where there were some quaint fisherman boats all over the beaches in Nusa Dua.

7. Barong Dance

We went for dinner and watched one of the most amazing spectacles in Nusa Dua. The Barong Dance was one of the highlights of the trip as she enjoys the theatrics involved in the performance. After the play, the performers even let us take pictures with them.

8. Rent a Villa to stay in Nusa Dua

Since Nusa Dua has some of the most luxurious places to stay in Bali, why not stay in a villa and pamper yourselves for a few days? At least that’s what we did. Check out our shots in Samabe Suites below! We spent 3 days in our own pool, with a butler serving us breakfast and tea in our villa. We had so much comfort and fun!

9. Swimming in a Balinese Pool

We really loved the Balinese pools with the gorgeous color of the water and the stunning Hindu-themed decorations all around. Plus, since the weather in Nusa Dua can get so hot, a swim is always a great idea.

10. Dine Local

We managed to have our local dinner experience in Rempah Restaurant. There, we tasted one of our favorite local dishes in Bali. We can recommend this place 100% as a wonderful placet to eat in Nusa Dua. The restaurant is in Vouk Bali Suites and the prices are very affordable.

11. Water Blow Nusa Dua

It’s a natural rock formation and is one of the most popular spots in Nusa Dua. You have to be careful because a trip here can get very dangerous. Still, this is one of the things to do if you want to be a tourist in Nusa Dua.

12. Visit Puja Mandala

It’s always a great idea to visit cultural places and find out about a country’s beliefs and religion when traveling. There is no entrance fee to Puja Mandala, though you must remember to wear the proper attire to show respect to the culture.

13. Water Sports

Nusa Dua is quite peaceful but you can make the place loud and vibrant if you want to. You can rent kayaks to explore the waters and you can also do water sports in Nusa Dua! We only tried kayaking and it was really fun since the water was very calm. Kayaking is quite an easy activity though you can try some more exciting ones. We just enjoyed relaxing and talking on the clear waters of Nusa Dua.

Where to Sleep in Nusa Dua

Samabe Bali Suites & Villas

If you want to treat yourself, we totally recommend Samabe Bali Suites & Villas. The staff, the food and the place was truly amazing. This is probably one of the best place we’ve ever stayed in Bali. Why take your food in the breakfast hall when you can eat in your own pool?

We had our own villa with a really nice pool. You can also just go downstairs and enjoy lovely views of the beach. Take a look at these shots which I believe are nice enough to make you want to book a stay there ASAP! There are excellent views from the cliff, the cave in the beach was gorgeous, and you can also do activities like kayaking or snorkeling during the day. The beach is so serene, perfect for relaxing and spending time with loved ones.

Vouk Hotel & Suites

We spent a few days at Vouk Hotel & Suites in Nusa Dua. It’s a very unique Chinese-inspired hotel. If you’re visiting, you should definitely try their Rempeh Restaurant, which offers authentic Indonesian cuisine. The prices were inexpensive and reasonable with really good food – their Sambal was the best! Vouk Hotel & Suites provides free shuttle services to and from Geger Beach and the Bali Collection.

Festivals in Nusa Dua

Nusa Dua Light Festival

If you’re visiting Nusa Dua in July, you’re in luck! You can join Indonesian locals and tourists in celebrating the Nusa Dua Light Festival. It is an annual celebration that showcases the peninsula’s traditions and artistry through beautiful lanterns. It’s an Instagram-able event in Nusa Dua that you shouldn’t miss!

Nyepi

We enjoyed last day of Nyepi (The Day of the Silence) where people come together in forgiveness. How quiet the hotel, Bali and Nusa Dua in general was. Did you know that during Nyepi there are no flights operating in Bali? It’s the first time that we heard about this: a touristic place like Bali stopping their activity for 24 hours! We were so happy to have experienced this.

Ruben Arribas is a Spanish traveler who has traveled more than 70+ countries around the world. He believes in travel without money. Recently, he finished a bicycle trip, 9500 km, from Madrid to North Cape.

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We created this blog as a creative outlet, but now it has grown to something way more than we could ever think of. If you’re keen of taking the same journey, be sure to connect with us via email or any of our social channels. Can’t wait to hear from you!